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Sukma

The Joint Patrolling Party of 150 Battalion CRPF and District Force while on their routine patrolling across the Dornapal Jagargunda forests were in for a shock when they came under sudden attack by the Naxals. The cross firing went on for few hours after which the Naxal retreated to their forest cover. Although, no casualties were reported, the security personnel did manage to recover a lot of Naxal uniforms and a 10kg Tiffin Bomb from the spot.

"The leaders of the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party are only seeking votes from the tribals but are not bothered about there basic needs. During last nine years, Dr. Raman Singh Government has only exploited the poor people of Bastar for their vested interest, but never thought to benefit them," alleged Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee President Nand Kumar Patel, while addressing a public meeting in Sukma on Monday after staging 'gherao' of Collectorate. The police resored to mid cane-charge to disperse the Congress workers attempting to 'gherao' Collectorate.

At least eight police personnel of Chhindgarh Chowk in Sukma district were injured in a Naxalite ambush on Wednesday. Two seriously injured police were airlifted to Jagdalpur for treatment. Naxalite literatures were found in Dubbatota and Kerlapal. Strike called by Naxalites largely affected normal life in South Bastar.

Thirteen days after he was kidnapped by Maoists, District Collector Alex Paul Menon was received at home in Sukma by his joyous and relieved family Friday. Soon after, Chhattisgarh Chief Dr. Raman Singh said no secret deal had been struck with the rebels to secure his release. Menon, a 32 year old Indian Administrative Service official from Tamil nadu, had emerged on Thursday from captivity at 6.30 pm, accompanied by Maoists mediators in Tarmetla, a tiny forested hamlet.

After much deliberations and high voltage drama, Alex Paul Menon, Collector of Sukma, who was taken hostage by Naxals twelve days back, walked free on Thursday evening. Prof Hargopal and B D Sharma, two interlocutor representing Naxals walked out of Tadmetla forest visibly relieved along with a bit distraught looking Menon by their side at 6.10 pm. Menon, accompanied by the two interlocutors, came out of the jungle in a State Government jeep where he spoke a few words to the waiting media persons.

Barring any last minute hitch, Sukma Collector Alex Paul Menon, who has been held hostage by Maoists for 11 days, will be freed on Thursday. A late night statement by the Maoists said, "We are ready to hand over Menon on May 3 in front of people of Tadmetla." The 32 year old IAS officer, who was abducted on April 21, will be handed over to the two mediators of the Maoists. "Our mediators B D Sharma and G Hargopal had come to an agreement with the Chhattisgarh Government for release of our prisoners from various jails of Chhattisgarh. We are thankful to our mediators who did their level best.

Although the fate of abducted Sukma Collector Alex Paul Menon remains uncertain, the interlocutors, nominated by both the State Government and the Naxalites, said that the abducted Sukma Collector is safe and they are hopeful of his early release. After the end of third round of meeting on Sunday evening, the State Government interlocutors Nirmal Buch and Suyogya Kumar Mishra held a joint press briefing in which they refused to comment whether they had met the abducted Collector personally.

Maoists are fast expanding their areas of influence in south Chhattisgarh for the last one year even though statistics of the Naxal violence has declined.

According to Union home ministry's annual report, there were 465 incidents and 204 deaths in Maoist violence in 2011 in Chhattisgarh. In 2010, there were 343 deaths in 625 such incidents. The decline lulled Chhattisgarh into complacency. At top level meetings in Delhi, senior police officers from Chhattisgarh and the Centre attributed it to the efficacy of joint forces' operations.

A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) trooper was killed and another sustained critical injury, when rebels ambushed them during their routine day-out operation on Monday morning, just 1.5 kilo meters from Bhejji police station in Konta block of restive Sukma district of Bastar region. According to information reaching here, the deceased as K Kumar, a Head Constable of CRPF 2nd Battalion posted in Konta, whereas the injured CRPF personnel is Arjun Rao, a constable of the same battalion.

Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee (CPCC) will host party convention in the newly-constituted districts Bemetara and Sukma from February 14, 15. Party state in-charge B K Hariprassad, in-charge secretary Bhatcharan Das will attend the party onventions. Newly-constituted districts. The main opposition party Congress in view of forthcoming Vidhan Sabha elections in 2013-14, is preparing ground to consolidate party image in the newly-formed districts of Chhattisgarh and also is also making efforts to strengthen the party activities in the area.